Tag: world baseball Classic

  • Bene!

    Grazie! Team Italy and evoking Vinnie Pasquatino to slot in a VCR tape of the Sopranos! Dive through hola hoops as you will.

    This has been the mantra of Team Italy from the get-go as they, now, face Venezuela for another shot at Team U.S.A.

    Spectators were too uncertain, if they come past the semifinals.

    But, so far in Jac Caglianone’s handbook, they have. Be mistaken by Aaron Nola’s leathering mysteries of a curveball. It is hard not to get behind Italy.

    Team USA will have to hope they do not face Italy. The bottom of the order appears to be rocking with Brice Turang and Pete Crow Armstrong.

    Although, with the recent resurgence of Wilyer Abreu’s fantastic walk-off home run and veterans Salvador Perez, Ronald Acuna Jr, and Jackson Chourio helping in the clubhouse. Do not say we have awaken the Tokyo’s self for the 2026 MLB season, Shohei Ohtani and the World to retaliate.

  • Baseball is Thriving Without Bryce Harper

    It is a Thursday. It is March 12 and Bryce Harper repeatedly fails to disappoint.

    He is the former 1st overall pick that got fans invested and currently, now. Harper is having the worst time of his career.

    He has batted 3-for-14 and hit .214 in the World Baseball Classic through 3 games. Phillies teammates Christopher Sanchez and Aaron Nola are thriving and Harper is not. This is the narrative that has stuck with Harper since the news leaked about the linked connection between Dave Dombrowski and Harper.

    Dombrowski claimed early into the ‘run it back’ process that Harper was not a proven leader or elite player. It goes on.

    Harper recently stated in an interview that the World Baseball Classic was not like the grand Olympics. So much for the parading of Central America and Team Italy defeating USA.

    Harper risks the odds, his weak performance comes back to haunt him or, not. (We remember Mike Trout).

    FOX ratings are thriving and Harper is making a complete mockery of himself. It is not too late to return to prominence, but Harper has not proven to be ‘elite’ anywhere close in the WBC.

    The WBC is about defeating Team Italy’s wine glasses, Central America going haywire, and the Tokyo Dome dropping crazy. The essence of this tournament is to not appear in back-to-back interviews with Bussin’ With The Boys and say baseball is the hardest sport to play.

    It is to play a simple game of baseball and have fun. It is so telling Harper is not having fun and who can blame him.

    The Phillies general manager speaks out early into the process of the season, media has gone ablaze. What is interesting enough is the smirk on Harper’s face.

    He needs to take a step back and now might not be the time, but very soon something has to give and humble the former 1st overall pick.

  • It is Gunnar Henderson’s Time to Prove

    Gunnar Henderson is a former 2019 second-round, 42nd overall pick out of Alabama. He has the five-star making tools of an everyday shortstop.

    He has recently come out and said that Henderson will be participating in his first-ever Team USA World Baseball Classic which seems to get better by the year. Last time, it came down to the final out between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

    Trout, as ruthlessly hard he worked, struck out in the waning seconds of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, between Japan. This year is a new collection of talent other than Trout.

    Henderson has grown leaps and bounds by becoming AL Rookie of the Year and 2024 MLB All-Star. Last year, was not so much the Baltimore Oriole’s year and how could they be blamed with the reconstruction of Camden Yards, Corbin Burnes, and injuries.

    (I really feel like Burnes was the devil of all stingers).

    But, look what Baltimore did to set themselves up for 2026, ‘27, ‘28. They acquired Shane Baz!

    Baz is the type of leader with a high-enough ceiling to his resume to catapult— the Orioles successes at sealing or delivering. Baz adds to the starting rotation of Trevor Rodgers and Kyle Bradish to vigorously compete with his average pitching velocities tapping out to league averages.

    Most of all, eyes will be on Gunnar Henderson to prove what he is capable of March and into three years under team control.